Surgical cot



April 1945- J. 5. M. KNOX 2,374,488

SURGICAL COT Filed July 7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4/ JALMZW IN VEN TOR.

L II

ATTORNEY-.5.

J. 5. M. KNOX 2,374,488

SURGICAL COT Filed July 7, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m D Lg INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY-s.

April 24, 1945.

April 24, 1945.

.1. s. M. KNOX SURGICAL GOT 4 Sheets-$heet 3 Filed July 7, 1943 IN V ENTOR.

April 24, 1945. J. 5. M. KNOX SURGICAL COT Filed July '7 1943 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 24, 1945 2,374,488 SURGICAL oo'r Y JuliaS; M.Knox, Richmond, vantages; a: the} half to *L; Ray Temple; Richmond, Va;Application-July 7, 1943-, Serial No. 493,771

This-invention :relates tocots designed primarily for use in fieldhospitals, surgical wards, etc. An object of the invention is to providea cot of new and novel construction 'to be used asan attachment for abed, the cot being so constructed that, when not in use, it can bestored beneath the bed but, when in active position, can the utilized asa temporary support for a patient while the bed is being changed or as asurgical table on which emergency operations can be performedconveniently.

A still further object is to provide a cot which; while still connectedto the bed, can bemoved to different positions relative to the bed so asto bring the patient thereon into position'where F quick action isdesirable.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear asthe-description proceeds, the invention consists of certain noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and pointed out "in the claims, .it being understood thatchanges may be made in the construction and arrangement of partswithoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as claimed. t

In l theaccompanying drawings the preferred form ofthe invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 isa side elevation showing the cot assembledwith and located close to one side of igure 7 is an enlarged section onli.ne'l-+-1, Fig-11" a i J: Figure 8 is a sectionron line 8---8, Fig. 1.

Figure 9 is an enlarged section on line ii -=9, Fig.2.'im: Referring tothe "figures by characters of reference; lfl designates therig'id :frame'of the cot which "cantbe made of an-ysuitabl'e material and supportsratop H which can be in the nature of: a nat board to one end of which islhing'edly connected another boa'rd I2 constitutingthe head 'section ofthe cot. This head section when in its lowermost position, extends toone end of the frame l0. The opposite ends-of the board M is recessed asat 13 so as to "provide at its "sides, forwardly extending arms Nu Toeach of these anms is bolted an ear 11 extending bac'kwardly from the upper'end of a tubular hanger 48, this hangerbeing supported beyond :theforward end of wing M and constituting a bearing for a stem t9. "Theupper :end of "thisstern, 'Which-is located abovehanger 1'8 and inifrontof the ad jacentcarm I; has an eye T extending into: the forkedend2| of la leg-rest 2-2. This rest isiprefa erably in the nature etarigid-flat strip of materialof sufficient width toproperly support oneof the legs of -the .patient. xTl'ie deg-rest "is con nected to theeyedllbya pivot .pin 23 seated in the: leg-rest and' extending. throughthe, eye.

a bed, positions'to which some of the parts can a be adjusted beingindicated by broken lines.-

Figure 2 is a bottomplan view of the structure and of a portion of thebed to which it is joined, the legs of the bed being in section and someof the parts of the cot being shown by broken lines in positions towhich they may be adjusted.

Figure 3 is asection on line3--3, Fig. 1. Figure 4 is an enlargedsection on line 4-4, Fig. 2. p ,Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line5-4, Fig. 1. l

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on line '6--6,

- 5 dons they are parallel and in the same plane Thus it will 'benoted-that the leg rest is free to swing upwardly from a horizontalposition relativetothe stemlla and to the cot top H while, at'the sametime, it is free to swing laterally rel-- ative to the'to'p llasindicated, :for example, by broken lines in Fig. 2. i

i Fixedly secured tothe lower end of the stem I9 50 as to turntherewith, is a bracket 24 having a slottedyheadi 25 in which isslidably mount-- ed "a longitudinally slotted segment 26 fixedly securedat one end-to one of the leg-rests, as indi cated at N. A clampingbo1t 28 is extended through the slotted segment 26 and the head 25 r andis engaged by a nut 29 "which, when tight- .screwsn carried by thehanger l8.

when the l'eg rests are in their normal posi with the top of the cot.When they are swungupwardly and adjusted apart, ample room is pro- Ivided therebetween to receive the doctor or surgeon working on thepatient, the area being increased by forming the recess l3 in theforward end of the top I l.

The head section of the cot has longitudianlly slotted segments 3|fixedly secured to the sides thereof. and extending, downwardlytherefrom, these segments being concentric with the axes of the hinges32 connecting the head section to the top H and both segments 3| slideuponclamping bolts 33 extending laterally from frame It! and carryingclamping nuts 34. Thus the head section l2 can be adjusted angularlyupwardly or downwardly and securely held in any position to which it maybe moved.

Connecting the sides of the frame 10 adjacent to the two ends of the topH are cross-strips 35, oneof the cross-stripsbeing located preferablybeneath the head section I2 although not connected thereto. To each ofthese cross-strips 35 is bolted the tubular upper section 36 of a leg,this'upper section preferably being formed with oppositely extendingears 31 through which attaching bolts 38 are extended into the strips35. The lower section 39 of the leg telescopes into the upper section 36and is provided at its lower endwith a caster 40 adapted to roll'in anydirection freely on a supporting surface. The two sections of the legare held against relative rotation in any suitable manner, as by meansof a rack 4| on the leg section 39 and slidable in a longitudinal groove42 in the upper leg section 36. Each of the upper leg sections has apawl 43 pivotally mounted therein and provided with teeth 44 adapted toengage the teeth of the adjacent bracket 4| so that when the parts arein engagement it becomes impossible for the upper member 36 to slidedownwardly on the lower member 39. Such action can take place only byliftingthe member 36 slightly relative to the 'member39, swingingthe'toothed pawl 43 upwardly by depressing its handle or lever 45 so asto'disengage the teeth of the cam from the rack. This is shown in Fig. 8wherein the cam is shown by full lines in locking position and by brokenlines in releasing position.

Attention is called to the fact that the two legs constituting supportsfor the cot are located along the longitudinal center line of the cot sothat a load placed on the cot will be transmitted to these legswhichthus will serve to properly support the load as long as its balance ismaintained.

For the purpose of connecting the cot to a bed and'at the same timepreventing the cot from overturning on its two supporting legs, there isprovided a telescopic connection shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.This connection includes a heavy boss 46 secured to the center of across-strip 41 fixedly attached to the frame l adjacent to the center ofthe cot and at a point between the legs. This boss has a pivot stud 41'carrying a nut 48 which serves to bind tightly against the broad base ofthe boss the fiat apertured end 49 of a stiff rod 50. This rodconstitutes the inner section of a telescopic tie element made up of anydesired number of sections which fit snuglyone within the other so as tobe held against relative tilting movement although capable of slidingrelative to each other to a limited extent. An ordinary constructionofsuch an element has been illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein the telescopicmembers of the element on rod 50.

have been indicated at 52 and 53. The outer member 53 has an eye 54extending therefrom and fixed relative thereto, this eye being mountedto swing in any direction within a fork 55 depending from a carriage 56.The carriage is slidably mounted on a cross-rail 51 the length of whichis substantially equal to the width of the bed B to which the cot is toconnected. One

end of this rail is adapted to fitted-detachably beneath one of thesiderails. R 'of the bed and to be detachably clamped thereagainst by acam 58 located where it will overlie the rail R and, when turned in onedirection, will bind thereon and effect a tight connection between rail51 and rail R. The other end of rail 51 is extended under the other siderail R of the bed and has an adjustable clamp 59 provided with a nut 60whereby when the clamp 59 is tightened, the rail R engaged thereby willbe gripped securely. Thus with the two clamping means tightened relativeto theside rails of the bed, the guide or crossrail 51 will be heldagainst-displacement relative to the frame of the bed B. At anintermediate point rail-51' has a-depre'ssed portion 6l-the lower partof which merges into one end portion of the rail 51 along an inclinedportion 62. I I With the guide rail 51 secured imposition trans verselyof the bed B and with the lower section 39 of the cot legs released topermit movement of the section 36 downwardly therealongit-will beapparent that by elongating the telescopic connection and then thrustingthe cot toward the bed B, the carriage 56 will travel along rail-51 anddownwardly onto the, depressed portion 6|. This movement is effectedbecause whilethere is a slidable connection between the parts 50 to 53inclusive, there is sufiicient friction set up between these parts toinsure movement of the carriage'56 back onto the "depressed portion6l.After carriage 56 reaches this position, the cot, which is at a lowlevel because of the shortened legs 36-39, can roll under the bedwhereit will be out of the way as shown by broken lines at XinFig.3.

Obviously with the parts thus collapsedthe cot the carriage 56 to thefull line position shown in said figure. Thereafter the cot is pulledupwardly to elongate the legs and the toothed pawls 43 act toautomatically lock the legs in their elongated positions. When the topll of the cot' has been brought to a level with the frame of the bed,said cot is pushed toward the bed'so as'to beheld closely toit. It is tobe understood, of course,

that when the cot is to be used only for the pur--: pose of supportinga, patient while the bed is be-..

ing changed, it will carry a pad or'mattressf M. With this'pad ormattress in position the'cot can also be used as a supplemental bed foruse *by a nurse or other attendant either while the cot is close to theside ofthe bed or while it is eta: point removed therefrom.' It will benoted that when the cot is pulled away from the bed as shown at Y inFig. 3, the load thereon will be supported by the legs 36-39 and therewill be no danger of the cot tilting laterally because of therigidslidable connection between the 'cot and the bed.

Should it be desired to use the cot for surgithi, purposes, the mat orpad is removed therefrom" and the patient is placed thereon while thecot is positioned as indicated by full lines in Fig. 3.

Thereafter the cot can, if desired, be pulled away from the bed and canbe wheeled to any desired angle relative thereto so as to bring thepatient to a point where the proper light can be had. ,Where a legoperation is to be performed, one

or both of the legs can be strapped to the rest or rests 22 providedtherefor and brought to the positions where the operation can best beperformed. These rests can also be utilized for supporting the legs inupwardly extended and spread-apart positions.

After the use of the cot or table at a point remote from the bed hasbeen completed and it is desired to restore the patient to the bed, thecot is wheeled back toward the bed while the outer member 53 is heldagainst movement, by an attendant and until the members 50, and 52 arecompletely telescoped into the member 53. Thereafter further movement ofthe cot toward the bed will cause the member 53 to slide back under the:bed along the rail 51 but this distance of travel will not besufficient to bring the carriage 56 onto the inclined portion 62 of therail.

Therefore the cot will be properly supported in perfect balance againstthe side of the bed and thereafter the patient can readily betransferred onto the bed as will be apparent.

The top can be equipped with any suitable appliances. For example guardrails 63 having downturned ends 64 are slidable within openings in thesides of frame lll. These ends 64 can have notches 65 for receivingbolts 66 whereby, after the rails have been pulled upwardly to desiredpositions, the bolts can be forced into the notches, thereby supportingthe rails. Thus a patient on the cot will be prevented from rollinglaterally therefrom. When the rails are not in use they are pusheddownwardly onto the cot so as to be out of the way. i

and telescopic supporting legs connected to the top on a line extendinglongitudinally of the center thereof, of rigid collapsible meansconnected to and extending laterally from the cot,

and means for joining aid collapsible means to a bed. i

2. The combination with a cot including a top and telescopic supportinglegs connected to the top on a line extending longitudinally of thecenter thereof, of rigid collapsible means connected to and extendinglaterally from the cot, a rail, means for detachably connecting the railacross and to the sides of a bed, and a slidable and pivotal connectionbetween said rail and the collapsible element.

3. In a device of the clas described a top, telescopic legs supportingthe same, leg-rests mounted for angular adjustment both vertically andlaterally relative to the top, a head-rest mounted for up and downangular adjustment relative to the top, a telescopic element extendedlaterally from and pivotally connected to the top at one end,,and meansfor pivotally and slidably connecting the other end of said element tothe frame of a bed.

4. In a device of the clas described a top, telescopic legs supportingthe same, leg-rests mounted for angular adjustment both vertically andlaterally relative to the top, a head-rest mounted for up and downangular adjustment relative to the top, a telescopic element extendedlaterally from and pivotally connected to the top at one end, and meansfor pivotally and slidably connecting the other end of said element tothe frame of a bed, said mean including a rail, means for clamping therail to the sides of a bed, a carriage on the rail, and a universalconnection besaid means including a rail, means for clamping the rail tothe sides of a bed, a carriage on the rail, and a universal connectionbetween the carriage and telescopic element, said rail having adepressed portion for receiving the carriage when shifted along the railto one extreme position.

JULIA S. M. KNOX.

